Mathematics, history of mathematics and Poncelet: the context of the Ecole Polytechnique

DOI10.1007/978-3-031-40855-7_2MaRDI QIDQ6623902zbMATH OpenFDO

Authors Bruno Belhoste, Karine Chemla

Publication date 24 October 2024

Full work available at URL https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-40855-7_2

zbMATH Keywords

history of mathematicslibrairiesmathematical educationÉcole Polytechnique

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

History of mathematics in the 19th century (01A55) History of mathematics at institutions and academies (non-university) (01A74) History of mathematics education (97-03) Geometry education (97Gxx)

Review text

The article under review offers a detailed exploration of the mathematical thinking and methods of Jean-Victor Poncelet (1788--1867). It examines his contributions to projective geometry and his unique integration of mathematics with history and philosophy, emphasizing the role of his education at the École Polytechnique in shaping this multidisciplinary approach.\N\NThe article analyzes the École Polytechnique's educational system, highlighting how collaborative learning, access to an extensive library, and a focus on historical perspectives influenced Poncelet's innovative work. The library provided students with access to classical and modern mathematical texts, which served as a foundation for their own research. In this context, Poncelet's engagement with the works of figures such as Monge, Carnot, and Brianchon is shown to have deepened his theoretical insights.\N\NIt also discusses how the École Polytechnique fostered critical and analytical thinking skills through group work and discussions. This collaborative learning model supported both individual achievements and collective progress in mathematics and science.\N\NIn summary, the article provides valuable insights into the École Polytechnique's innovative approach to education and its influence on Poncelet's work. By emphasizing the importance of libraries in advancing research, it also underscores the connection between historical knowledge and the development of mathematics education.\N\NFor the entire collection see [Zbl 1537.01004].

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Cites work

• Greek Texts and the Rigorization of Analysis: An Inquiry into J. L. Lagrange’s Work on the History of Mathematics
• How Jean-Baptiste Delambre read ancient Greek arithmetic on the basis of the arithmetic of ``complex numbers at the turn of the 19th century
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 424597 (Why is no real title available?)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3981146 (Why is no real title available?)
• Lacroix and the calculus
• The \textit{De linearum} by MacLaurin: between Newton and Poncelet
• The Oxford handbook of generality in mathematics and the sciences
• Worlds Out of Nothing

Cited in

(2)

• Designing and producing a library's catalogue for an engineering school in 19th century France: the École des Ponts et Chaussées' first general printed catalogue (1872)
• Joseph Fourier's courses of analysis at the Ecole Polytechnique (1795--1798): based on a study of two unpublished manuscripts

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